Safety elevator device.



N0. 824,452. PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906.

J. TAYLOR, J. A. MOMILLEN & T. C. B. MILBERY.

SAFETY ELEVATOR DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1905.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN TAYLOR, JAMES A. MoMlLLEN, AND THOMAS C. B. MILBERY, OF CASTLESHANNON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY ELEVATOR DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1906.

Application filed November 24, 1905. Serial No. 288,867.

To all Ill/"b07771 it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN TAYLOR, J AMEs A. MoMILLEN, and THOMAS C. B.MILBERY, citizens of the United States of America, residing at CastleShannon, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Elevator Devices,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in safetyelevator devices; and the invention relates more particularly to asafety device adapted to be used in connection with the elevators or'cages of mine-shafts.

The primary object of this inventlon is to provide positive andreliablemeans in connection with the cage or hoist of a shaft for preventing thecage or hoist from descending when its supporting or hoisting cablebreaks. To this end we have devised simple and inexpensive means whichare attached to the c? ge or hoist of a shaft and are adapted to beactuated when the supporting-cable of the cage breaks, the actuation ofsaid means causing the side frames of the mine-shaft to be gripped, andthereby preventing the hoist or cage from falling to the bottom of theshaft.

\Nith the above and other objects in view, which will more readilyappear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts to be hereinafter more fully described and then specificallypointed out in the claims, and, referring to the drawings accompanyingthis application, like numerals of reference designate correspondingparts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a portion of the frame of a mine-shaft and a cage or hoistadapted to operate in said frame. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewtaken on the line cc of Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of agrippingeccentric. Fig. 4 1s a front elevation of the same. Fig. 5 1s aside elevation of a cross-arm used in connection with the device, andFig. 6 is a front elevation or edge view of the same.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated the vertical frames 1 1of a mineshaft, these frames being adapted to extend down in amine-shaft to one of the passageways or compartments thereof and theseframes being generally braced at their upper ends by a cross-head 2 andnumerous other braces within the shaft, which are not shown for the sakeof clearness of illustration. The vertical frames 1 1 serve as guidesfor a cage or hoist 3, said hoist consisting of a platform 4, standards5 5, and a cross-beam 6. The cross-beam and the platform engage theconfronting sides of the frames '1 1, thereby insuring a perfectguidance of the hoist or cage between the frames of the mine-shaft. Itis a common practice to secure the hoisting cable, rope, or chain 7 toan eyebolt 8, mounted in the cross-beam 6 of the cage or hoist 4, andinterposed between the cross-beam 6 and the lower end of the eyebolt isa coiled spring -9, which serves functionally as a cushion to relieveany jarring occasioned by a sudden stopping of the cage or hoist 3.

Our invention resides in providing the sides of the standards 5 5adjacent to the cross-beam 6 with outwardlyextending brackets 10 10, inwhich are journaled transverse shafts 11 11. Keyed centrally upon saidshafts are outwardly-extending segment-shaped crank-arms 12 12, thecurved grooved edges 14 14 of said crank-arms having cables 15 15secured to their lower ends, as at 16 16. The opposite ends of thecables are fastened to a cross-head 17, carried by the eyebolt 8.

The outer ends of the shafts 1O 10 are provided with gripping-eccentrics18 18, said ec-- centrics being preferably keyed upon theends of theshafts 11 11. Each gripping-eccentric consists of two disks or circularplates 19 19, having serrated or toothed surfaces 20 20. Between thedisks or plates 19 19 is placed rubber 21 21 of a resilient nature,which in practice is adapted to frictionally engage the frames 1 1 ofthe mine-shaft,- while the serrated surfaces or edges 20 20 of saideccentrics are adapted to engage in the frames 1 1 and prevent the hoistor cage 3 from descending when the hoisting-cable 7 breaks.

In connection with the shafts 11 11 we employ springs 22 22, a springbeing placed upon each shaft. The springs surround the shafts 11 11,having their ends engaging the cross-beam 6, as at 23 23, and thesegmentshaped crank-arms 12 12, as at 24 24.

In operation should the hoisting-cable 7 break above the cross-head 17the release of the cables 15 permits of the springs 22 22 rotating theshafts 11 11 and throwing the gripping eccentrics 18 18 into engagementwith the frames 1 1 to prevent further descent of the hoist or cage 3.Should the eyebolt 8 break below the cross-head 17, the cables 15 15will still support the cage or hoist r 3 until the hoisting-cable 7 orthe eyebolt 8,

whichever may have broken, can be repaired.

The gripping-eccentrics, which are composed of the disks or plates 1919, having serrated edges and bodies of rubber, are adapted to firmlygrip the sides of the frame 1. The serrated edges of the plates 19 19engage the surfaces of the frames 1 1, while the rubber 21 of eachgripping-eccentric frictionally engages the frames and prevents thehoist or cage 3 from falling when the hoisting-cable has parted.

We preferably construct our improved safety device of strong metal ormaterial which when a stress or strain is exerted upon the same willwithstand the weight or pressure brought to bear by the cage or hoist ofthe mineshaft.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevator safety device, the combination with the frames of amineshaft and a cage or hoist mounted between said frames, of bracketscarried by said cage, shafts journaled in said brackets, segmentshapedcrank-arms carried by said shafts, cables connected to said arms and tothe hoisting-cable of said cage, gripping-eccentrics carried by nationwith the frames of the elevator-shaft and a cage suspended between saidframes,

of shafts mounted on said cage and extend ing across the same from sideto side, segment-shaped arms carried by said shafts, cables connected tosaid arms and to the hoisting-cable of the cage, a gripping-eccentriccarried on each end of each shaft, each eccentric being composed of twotoothed disks and an intermediate filling of rubber extending beyond theedges of the disks, the teeth on the disks and the rubber filling beingadapted to simultaneously engage the frames, a spiral spring surroundingeach shaft and having one end connected to the cage and the other endconnected'to the segment-shaped arm, said springs being adapted torotate the shaft when the tension of the hoisting-cable is relaXed.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN TAYLOR. JAMES A. MOMILLEN. THOMAS C. B. MILBERY.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, E. E. POTTER.

